- The government announced a loosening of planning policy on Monday to allow thousands more homes to be built within 10 minutes of transport hubs, including on green belt sites.
- The housing secretary will set out changes to national planning guidance for England, including a “default yes” approach for developments within a reasonable walking distance of well-connected train and tram stations.
- For developments on green belt land, the government’s “golden rules” require higher levels of affordable housing, new or improved green spaces, and appropriate infrastructure.
- Rayner is billing the changes as part of the biggest rewrite of planning rules in more than a decade, as the government moves towards its target by the end of this parliament; the government is about a quarter of the way to its target, two years into a five-year parliament.
- Rayner said the changes would help address the fact that “too many people are being priced out of the communities where they want to live and work”, and that unlocking homes near transport hubs would help people live closer to work, school, and services while backing local businesses and driving growth.
- The new NPPF aims to provide clearer national policies for plan-making and decision-making, meaning conflicting local policies will carry less weight when inconsistent with national policies.
- Opposition figures criticised the plans: James Cleverly, shadow housing secretary, called it a “power grab” seizing control from local communities and exposing green belt and countryside to unauthorised Traveller sites; Richard Tice, Reform’s deputy leader, said it contradicted Andy Burnham’s devolution agenda and stripped power from local councils.
- Andrew Carter, chief executive of the thinktank, called the default “yes” to homes near stations “a vital reform” that opens up space for high numbers of homes well connected to jobs, and noted that green belts have previously prevented development along commuter routes, but permission by default opens these sites without affecting more than a tiny fraction of green belt land.
England's housing secretary announced a major overhaul of planning rules, allowing for thousands of homes to be constructed near transport hubs, including on green belt land. This 'default yes' approach aims to tackle housing shortages and support local economies.
The new policy mandates councils to adopt a “default yes” stance for housing developments within a reasonable walking distance of well-connected train and tram stations. This change is part of the government's broader strategy to meet its housing targets, with about a quarter of the way to its goal two years into a five-year parliamentary term.2
Housing Secretary Rayner emphasized that the initiative would help those priced out of their desired communities, stating, “By unlocking thousands of homes around well-connected transport hubs, we’re helping people live closer to work, school and the services they rely on”. The government’s guidelines also stipulate that developments on green belt land must include higher levels of affordable housing and improved green spaces.
Critics, including James Cleverly, the shadow housing secretary, argue that the policy undermines local control, claiming it forces communities to accept developments in unsuitable areas. Richard Tice, deputy leader of Reform, echoed these concerns, stating, “They strip power from the people who live there and hand it to Whitehall”.91011
Supporters like Andrew Carter from a think tank view the policy as a vital reform, asserting that it opens up opportunities for housing near major cities without significantly impacting green belt land.
“The changes are part of the biggest rewrite of planning rules in over a decade, with the government about a quarter of the way to its housing target two years into a five-year parliament. Opposition figures, including shadow housing secretary James Cleverly, call it a 'power grab' that exposes green belt to unauthorised Traveller sites.”
The Guardian
